The band started as an acoustic blues trio in the mid 1960s with singer and guitarist J. Geils (born February 20, 1946; died April 10, 2017), bassist Danny Klein (Dr. Funk) and harpist Richard Salwitz (stage name Magic Dick). The band formed under the name Snoopy and the Sopwith Camels while Geils was attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute for a couple of semesters. In 1967 the band switched focus, starting to play electric guitar and bass and recruiting drummer Stephen Jo Bladd and fast-talking ex-disc jockey singer Peter Wolf, born Peter Blankenfeld, both from Boston. The following year Seth Justman joined as an organist, and the group signed to Atlantic Records in 1970.
The J. Geils Band first received FM radio airplay with the live single "First I Look at the Purse", then had several hit singles in the 1970s, the most successful of which was "Must Of Got Lost" (1974). Later in the 1970s, the band signed with EMI America Records.
The band had good success covering soul singles. Besides the well-known aforementioned "First I Look at the Purse" from The Contours, they covered the more obscure "I Do" from The Marvelows and "Ain't Nothing But a House Party" from The Showstoppers.
The group's commercial fortunes improved in the early 1980s, first with the humorous "Love Stinks", then with their great success with the Freeze Frame album which included "Centerfold" (#1 for six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100) and then the title cut (#4). Wolf left the group in 1983 for a solo career not long after, over disagreements about whether to continue to take the band in more of a popular direction, or continue with the purist tradition.
The band went on to record one more album of new material, You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd, after Wolf left. He was not replaced, and Seth Justman took over most of the vocal duties. The album produced only one single - "Concealed Weapons", a song about breasts - and was not a success. The band toured in support of the album, but never again recorded anything new. The group then disbanded in 1985 after contributing the title song to the 1985 horror film Fright Night.
The group was not reunited with Wolf until 1999, and subsequently broke up again when ticket sales proved extremely disappointing. Wolf continues to tour with his own backup band, and the rest of the Geils band makes occasional appearances. Since the semi-retirement of the band, Geils has been restoring sports cars in Massachusetts.
On 22 May 2006, the six original members had a surprise reunion, the first time they had all played together in over 20 years, at bassist Danny Klein's 60th birthday party at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston.
Since 2009 they are reunited once more.
The band disbanded in 2017 after the death of bandleader J. Geils.
Start All Over
The J. Geils Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Start all over again
Every boy and every girl
Wants to be a winner
Living in this world today
It's not that easy
My days of loosing
But they never get me down
I've always been a fighter
(Here's what you can do forget the past and start anew)
And always to remember that life
(Life is what you make of it, you made your bed now lay on it)
'Cos it's never too late to start
(Start all over again)
It's time to celebrate
Who you are, baby
(Start all over again)
You know it's not too late
Just believe and make that break
(Start all over again)
It's time to celebrate
Who you are, baby
(Start all over again)
You know it's not too late
Just believe and make that break
Take a look in the mirror
What a beautiful sight to see
Time to get positive
Forget about the negative
And always hold your head up high
Reach for the sky
(Here's what you can do forget the past and start anew)
Yeah, yeah, always to remember that life
(Life is what you make of it, you made your bed now lay on it)
It's never too late to start
There are choices you will make
Some are good and some are bad
There's no time to give up now
Now
(Start all over again)
It's time to celebrate
Who you are, baby
(Start all over again)
You know it's not too late
Just believe and make that break
(Start all over again)
It's time to celebrate
Who you are, baby
(Start all over again)
You know it's not too late
Just believe and make that break
(Start all over again)
It's time to celebrate
Who you are, baby
(Start all over again)
You know it's not too late
Just believe and make that break
(Start all over again)
The J. Geils Band's "Start All Over" is an inspirational song that encourages people to overcome their difficulties and start anew. The opening lines of the song "Every boy and every girl wants to be a winner, living in this world today it's not that easy" suggest that life can be challenging and that people face different obstacles in their quest for success. The lyrics underline the fact that everyone experiences pain and loss, but it's important not to let them bring you down. The singer stresses that he's always been a fighter and that one can forget about the past and start anew.
The song is an anthem for resilience and self-belief. The chorus encourages listeners to celebrate who they are and make a break. The repeated line "start all over again" emphasizes that it's never too late to begin again, make changes, and take control of one's life. The song preaches the idea that the past doesn't define you and that people can always choose to be positive, upbeat, and make better choices.
Overall, "Start All Over" is a catchy, upbeat, and motivational song that inspires listeners to embrace a positive attitude, overcome their fears and doubts, and start all over again. It conveys a message of hope, resilience, and the power of self-belief that can uplift anyone who might be facing tough times.
Line by Line Meaning
Start all over again
Encourages the listener to begin anew and leave past failures behind.
Every boy and every girl
All individuals regardless of gender want to succeed in life.
Wants to be a winner
Aspire for success and to be recognized for one's accomplishments.
Living in this world today
Existing and leading a life in the contemporary society.
It's not that easy
Acknowledges that achieving success is challenging and not straightforward.
I've had my share of pain
The singer has experienced suffering and setbacks in his life.
My days of losing
Times when he has failed to achieve success.
But they never get me down
Despite setbacks, the singer remains resilient and motivated.
I've always been a fighter
He has a persistent attitude and will continue to push forward despite challenges.
(Here's what you can do forget the past and start anew)
Advice to let go of past failures and begin again with a fresh perspective.
And always to remember that life
It is important to keep in mind that one's life is a direct result of their own actions.
(Life is what you make of it, you made your bed now lay on it)
One's current situation is the result of their past choices and actions.
'Cos it's never too late to start
It is never too late to make a change and start working towards success.
Take a look in the mirror
Suggests introspection and self-reflection.
What a beautiful sight to see
Encourages appreciation of one's own physical appearance and self-worth.
Time to get positive
Advises to adopt a positive attitude towards oneself and life in general.
Forget about the negative
Discourages dwelling on past failures and negativity in general.
And always hold your head up high
Encourages self-confidence and maintaining a positive outlook on life.
Reach for the sky
Strive for the highest level of success one can achieve.
There are choices you will make
Life is filled with decisions that will impact one's success and happiness.
Some are good and some are bad
Not all decisions will lead to success, but one should learn from the bad ones.
There's no time to give up now
Motivation to continue working towards success despite past failures.
(Start all over again)
Reiterates the need to start anew and leave past failures behind.
It's time to celebrate
Encourages taking pride in oneself and one's accomplishments.
Who you are, baby
Emphasis on the importance of self-identity and a positive outlook on oneself.
You know it's not too late
Reassurance that one can begin anew and continue working towards success.
Just believe and make that break
Encouragement to have faith in oneself and make necessary changes to achieve success.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MoeJoeVision
Thanx for the comments ! I'm hoping someone got Peter wearing my shirt TWICE! I was having too much fun to tape! This was the only one I missed from the march show @ HOB
crossfirebob
Thanks for posting. What a great show it was. J. Geils is one of the all time great party bands! Wolf grabbed my camera during Freeze Frame and took a picture of me and my friends. Very cool. I certainly hope this isn't the last show.
crossfirebob
Did you record Freeze Frame from this show? Wolf took my camera & took a pic of me & my best friend. He since passed away.
Gee Train
@kz5757 Mick Jagger was once asked if he rehearsed his on stage antics. He said, "You bet. We can't all be Peter Wolf out there"
MoeJoeVision
1:47 OOOH YEAHS from the Harrisons
MoeJoeVision
0:39 That's me!